


A Hero

by galactiklance



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Different Perspective, Drakon - Freeform, Gen, I have no idea how to tag, canon ending, like on tumblr i just ramble in the tags, non canon divergent, rueregard???, uhhhh, um
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-05
Updated: 2019-02-05
Packaged: 2019-10-22 18:03:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17667461
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/galactiklance/pseuds/galactiklance
Summary: Clarisse would much rather be fighting than doing a stupid camp patrol, but if that's what it takes to earn respect, then that's what she'll do. Camp is weirdly quiet, maybe because everyone except Cabin 5 is at war, but still, something seems a little... off.On return to the big house, no-one is there, but someone left a letter explaining everything. Someone who probably shouldn't be fighting.





	A Hero

**Author's Note:**

> >>DISCLAIMER<<  
> I OWN NONE OF THE CHARACTERS, PLOT, OR SETTINGS. THESE ALL BELONG TO RICK RIORDAN, ALONG WITH A VERY LARGE CHUNK OF DIALOGUE IN THE SECOND HALF.
> 
> Anyways, this is my take on Silena Beauregard's death from Clarisse La Rue's perspective. I did this as my first piece of English homework for the year, and thought why not break some more people's hearts? So here ya go. I tried to stay as close to the general tone and style of the original book/scene (Chapter 17 in The Last Olympian, more or less).

Long Island Sound was unusually quiet, especially for the middle of a war. Chris and I walked the base of Half-Blood Hill, the golden fleece glinting in the branches of Thalia’s tree.

My spear, Maimer, was missing, so I had a camp approved substitute slung across my back. It wasn’t the same, Maimer was a gift from my father, and I’d lost it. I could only pray he’d never find out.

“Hey Clarisse, you ok?” Chris put his hand on my shoulder. If anyone else tried that, I’d give them a black eye. Well, except Silena.

“I’m fine. We need to keep going, things are weirdly quiet, I’m expecting an ambush any second.” I was scowling, but really, when wasn’t I?

“Look Clarisse, the Apollo guys gave you the chariot, why aren’t you out there, fighting? I know you want to.” Chris looked over at me. “They need you guys, I’m sure of it.”

“No. For the last time, no. The Ares cabin has been insulted enough, and if this is what it takes to earn us some respect, then this is what we’ll do. It’s time the rest of camp realised just how much they need us, and when they come back, maybe they’ll understand.” I kicked a stone angrily. “They can get their own gods-dammed help, but not from us.”

Chris just sighed. This must’ve been the fourth time we’d had this conversation since all the other demigods departed for Mt. Olympus.

He was right though. I was the child of the war god, of course I wanted to be on the front lines, fighting, slaying monsters, we all did. But Ares was more than just carnage. We knew what we needed to do, but we needed respect before we would do it.

We neared the Big House, our temporary headquarters, appointed by Chiron. We’d encountered nothing on our patrol, not even a stray hellhound, which was all very strange. I supposed Kronos must’ve called all his troops into the centre of Manhattan, which meant the others must be putting up a good defence.

Even more reason I wanted to be out there. The Athena kids were good at strategy, but only had half a dozen of strong fighters, and the Apollo kids were long range, pretty much useless in hand-to-hand combat. We were the camp’s biggest attacking force.

No-one was on the porch of the Big House, but our maps and plans were scattered all over the pinochle table.

I looked around. The lights were on, but no-one was visible inside. I couldn’t hear anything from anywhere else in the camp.

“Clarisse…” Chris had noticed it too, and he unsheathed his sword.

I pulled my spear out, waiting for an ambush.

Nothing happened. The silence was eerie. Surely, we’d be able to hear some of those rhyming couplets the Apollo campers had cursed us with.

“Where is everyone?” I voiced the question I knew we were both thinking.

“Perhaps they left?”

“No, they wouldn’t. I know my campers would never disobey my orders.” I was a little harsh with my answer, but we were both slightly spooked, something I’d never admit to anyone.

“Perhaps I’ll go check the cabins, you go to the forge and arena. We’ll meet up here again in fifteen minutes.” Chris jogged down the stairs before I could even reply.

Once he was out of sight, I let my feelings out. I was mad. Mad at the Apollo campers for stealing the chariot, even if it was still by the stables. Mad that I had to sit out on the battle of the century just so my siblings could earn some respect.

I slashed my spear, gouging a chair and slicing the table leg. Papers spilled everywhere.

Diagrams and maps of the camp and of Manhattan were covered in handwriting, most of it Annabeth’s. They’d only taken the bare necessities with them to the city.

Something caught my eye, an envelope sitting amongst a sheath of notes in Ancient Greek.

The envelope was stark white, and addressed to me in a neat, looping script.

Silena’s handwriting.

I trampled the papers as I grabbed the envelope, ripping it open.

_Dearest Clarisse,_

_I apologise. I’m so sorry, but I had to do it. Two things actually. I’m probably doing the first as you read this, leading your cabin into battle. We need you Clarisse. I know you feel disrespected, but please, you’re the only way we can win this war._

_I stole your armour and Maimer, I’m sorry, but it’s the only way I can get your cabin to follow me, if they think I’m you. I left the flying chariot though, you fought for it, so it’s only fair you get it._

_I need to tell you something else too. The spy, the one for Kronos, that’s me. Don’t hate me, please. Luke told me I would save lives if I helped him, I thought I’d be able to protect people, but I couldn’t. Then they killed Charlie. I tried to get rid of the charm, that’s the communication device, but I couldn’t. Luke came for me and he told me that if I tried again, worse things would happen._

_Please forgive me Clarisse, but I understand if you don’t._

_I love you,_

_Silena xxx_

No. She couldn’t do that, she was an Aphrodite girl, she had no combat training! I ran to the cabins, yelling for Chris.

“Chris! We need to go!” I clutched Silena’s letter in my hand, never wanting to let it go. The chances of her making it through this ridiculous stunt were alarmingly low.

But I wasn’t surprised. This was Silena we were talking about. She’d do anything for those she loved, no matter how dangerous.

Chris came barrelling around the side of Cabin 5, narrowly missing the landmines.

“What? What is it? Did you find someone?” He looked around, confused.

“No. We need to go, I’ll explain on the way.” I grabbed his arm, pulling him towards the stables.

“Clarisse! What’s the matter?” He protested a little, but I just tightened my grip and sped up. My spear had been discarded back up at the Big House, but I didn’t care. I didn’t care about anything except Silena right now.

I harnessed a pegasus as fast as I could, but I knew Silena could’ve done it faster. She was amazing with them.

“Get in. And don’t fall off.” I flicked the reigns as soon as Chris’ foot left the ground, and we launched skywards.

At top speed we would make it there in half an hour, tops. Too long.

“Clarisse, what’s happening?” Chris sounded worried, really worried.

“Read this.” I shoved Silena’s letter into his hand, staring to the horizon.

 

Everything was still eerily quiet, the sounds of the city were non-existent. If I strained, I could hear the sounds of battle; of sword on sword, of voices yelling, monsters growling.

As we neared Mt Olympus, which was looking much worse for the wear, I caught a glimpse of something huge slithering across the sides of buildings.

It was a drakon. A Lydian drakon.

“No!” I yelled, pulling the chariot into a steep dive.

The rest of my cabin were in the thick of things, half slaughtering the oncoming army, half backing up someone wearing my boar’s-head helmet.

Silena.

She was taking on a Lydian drakon herself, a drakon that could only be slain by a child of Ares.

I watched as she stabbed and slashed a spear, _my_ spear, at the drakon’s face. She was brave, braver than me even. I heard her shout, readying for her last stand.

“ARES!” She charged straight at the drakon.

I could only watch in horror as the beast looked down at her as if thinking about how best to kill her, then spat acid directly in her face.

Silena’s scream pierced my heart like a blade, and she crumpled to the ground. Everyone crowded around her, except Percy, who took on the drakon. I couldn’t care less about Percy right now, not when Silena was dying.

I landed the chariot hastily on Fifth Avenue, and ran forwards, ignoring everyone else

“NO! Curse you, WHY?” Tears were streaming down my face, they dripped onto my armour as I knelt next to Silena.

“WHY?” I cried, cradling Silena in my arms. She was so frail, so light, and yet she’d taken on a drakon, just to save those she loved.

“Look out!” Chris tried to warn Percy, who was distracted, and didn’t see the drakon coming for him. Instead of bearing down on Percy, it came towards us.

I looked up at it with absolute hatred. This thing, this beast had delivered the killing blow to the most noble, most caring person I knew.

“YOU WANT DEATH?” I screamed at it. “WELL COME ON!”

I picked my spear from the ground and charged. I had no armour, no shield, nothing, but that didn’t matter. I’d kill this drakon or die trying.

Anger clouded my senses as I battled, but I remembered jumping up to the creature’s head, and stabbing Maimer into its eye. The shaft snapped, and the magical electricity poured out, killing the beast. It was a much more merciful death than it deserved.

As soon as the deed was done, I ran back to Silena. They - whoever they were, I didn’t care enough to look - had removed her helmet at last, and I looked into her eyes. Her skin was burned beyond recognition, but her beautiful blue eyes shone like diamonds.

I tried to pick her up in my arms but she gasped in pain, so I set her down again, taking her head in my lap.

“What were you thinking?” I sobbed. She looked up at me, and I could see the pain in her eyes.

“Wouldn’t… listen. Cabin would… only follow you.” She managed to whisper, her mouth dryer than the pits of tartarus.

“So you stole my armour,” I still couldn’t believe her nerve, her courage. “You waited until Chris and I went out on patrol, you stole my armour and pretended to be me.” I looked up for a brief moment, glaring daggers at the rest of my cabin. “And NONE of you noticed?” I was almost screaming.

“Don’t blame them.” She was still there, the Silena who had enough love for everyone, no matter who they were or what they’d done, the Silena who was always there for me, even when I didn’t know I needed it.

“They wanted to… to believe I was you.”

Of course they did.

“You _stupid_ Aphrodite girl!” I was sobbing harder than I’d ever cried before, but I didn’t care. “You charged a drakon? _Why?_ ”

Silena’s eyes were wet with tears, and as I watched, one fell, making its way down her corroded cheek.

“All my fault. The drakon, Charlie’s death… camp endangered-”

“Stop it!” I gripped her tighter, already knowing what she was talking about. I didn’t think she’d told anyone else. “That’s not true!”

With a pained look on her face, as if she were taking the weight of the sky on her shoulders, she raised her fist and opened it, a silver scythe charm glittering deceivingly.

“You were the spy.” Percy’s voice was colder than ice, his expression dark.

Silena’s head moved a fraction, she was trying to nod, but just ended up causing herself more pain.

“Before - before I liked Charlie, Luke was nice to me.” She managed to say, voice barely above that of a whisper, tears sliding slowly into my lap. “He was so - charming. Handsome. Later, I wanted to stop helping him, but he threatened to tell. He promised… he promised I was saving lives.” She coughed once, then shook with the pain, a weak cry that only I could hear escaping.

No-one had moved, and the battle was still going strong, and not in our favour. My siblings were behind me, and they weren’t doing anything, just staring.

“Go, help the centaurs. Protect the doors. GO!” That got them moving.

I didn’t think any of them had ever seen me like this before, I didn’t think anyone except Silena had seen me like this, but it was too late now.

Silena shook in my arms, drawing a heavy breath.

“Forgive me.”

“You’re not dying.” I was nearing hysterical, my vision clouded with tears and I pulled her close.

“Charlie…” Her eyes wouldn’t meet mine. “See Charlie…” Then she was still.

“NO!” I wailed. “NO!” My body shook, and I let everything loose. I didn’t care anymore, Silena was dead, and she was never coming back.

**Author's Note:**

> Yeet, I hope this hurt. 
> 
> I also hope that I stayed in character and in the right tone. If you want more PJO madness then go follow me on twitter - @galactiklance. I'm not 100% demon, I promise.
> 
> Also credits to @echo_retry (also on twitter, but they’re 100% demon) for the title.


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